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Berken goes for second opinion on shoulder

Berken goes for second opinion on shoulder

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BALTIMORE -- Right-hander Jason Berken is seeking a second opinion on his injured throwing shoulder this week.

Berken will see Dr. David Altchek in New York on Tuesday. The Orioles placed Berken on the 15-day disabled list last week, retroactive to Aug. 13, after an MRI on Monday showed a slight tear in his labrum along with rotator cuff inflammation.

"Based on what the doctors here told me, it's just a matter of how the shoulder reacts to the rest," Berken said. "Hopefully [this doctor] says the same thing, [and] there's no need for surgery. That's what we're always shooting for."

Berken has been through that before, as he underwent Tommy John surgery while pitching at Clemson.

Right now, Berken said that resting his shoulder is the most important thing. It's looking more and more like his season might be finished.

This was Berken's first season out of the bullpen, and he's 3-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 41 games. He pitched well in the first half of the season before struggling in recent games.

He allowed 13 runs in his last 17 1/3 innings after giving up only eight earned runs in his first 45 innings.